An iliotibial band which covers a lateral side of a thigh extends from an iliac crest, located in an upper end portion of an ilium constituting a pelvis, to the vicinity of an upper end of a tibia, via which a knee and an ankle are connected. The iliotibial band stabilizes a knee joint. When the knee joint extends, the iliotibial band is located in front of a lateral epicondyle of a femur. Meanwhile, when the knee joint flexes, the iliotibial band moves to behind the lateral epicondyle of the femur. In a case where the knee joint is lightly flexed, the tibia may inwardly rotate and thus an excessive stress may be applied to the iliotibial band. In such a case, the iliotibial band and the lateral epicondyle of the femur press each other and cause friction therebetween. This causes the iliotibial band syndrome.
As a specific example of the iliotibial band syndrome, there is known a symptom called a runner's knee, which occurs as a result of a running exercise. That is, a running motion from landing to kicking causes varus (a twist in an outward direction) of the knee joint. The varus of the knee joint then causes the iliotibial band and the lateral epicondyle of the femur to press each other and/or cause friction therebetween, which results in the iliotibial band syndrome. As a measure against the iliotibial band syndrome, there has been known a protection garment for guiding the knee joint in a valgus direction (inwardly).
A pes anserinus, located in a lower portion of a knee, refers to a portion to which sartorius tendon, gracilis tendon, and semitendinosus tendon, each located near a medial side of the tibia, are attached in a fan-like manner. The pes anserinus may develop pes anserine bursitis, which is an inflammation occurred in the portion to which the tendons are attached or in an anserine bursa. The pes anserine bursitis occurs (i) in a case where a pulling force of hamstrings repeatedly acts on the pes anserinus or (ii) in a case where, due to flexing and extending of the knee, friction is repeatedly caused between the pes anserinus and anterior fibers of an accessory ligament located in a medial side of the knee. The pes anserine bursitis is a sports injury which is often found in, in particular, long-distance and short-distance runners and football players. The pes anserine bursitis causes sharp pains and pressure pains in the medial side of the knee. In some cases, the pes anserine bursitis causes a friction sound and/or swelling as a result of flexing and extending of the knee. As a measure against the pes anserine bursitis, there has been known a protection garment for guiding the knee joint in a varus direction (outwardly).
Conventionally, as a technique for guiding a knee joint in a predetermined direction, various protection garments are disclosed in Patent Literatures 1 through 3.
For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a knee supporter for correcting a varus deformity of a knee joint. This supporter is intended to correct the varus deformity in the following manner. That is, while a main body section of the supporter is wound around a knee joint, a head of a fibula displaced to the lateral side due to the varus deformity is pressed toward the medial side with use of a belt-shaped section held by the main body section.
Patent Literature 2 discloses a supporter for protecting an elbow or a knee from excessive inward turning or excessive valgus. This supporter includes a main body covering an elbow or a knee, and a supporting section provided so as to be integrated with the main body. The supporting section includes a fitting section which fits on a knee or an elbow, anchor sections respectively provided on upper and lower sides of the fitting section, and a connecting section which connects the fitting section with at least one of the anchor sections. With this supporter, the anchor section and the fitting section are connected with each other via the connecting section, thereby reducing displacement of an elbow or a knee toward a trunk with respect to a limb axis.
Patent Literature 3 discloses a knee supporter for correcting and reducing inward or outward turning of a knee joint. This supporter includes a supporter main body section covering a knee joint, and a strap which is wound on an outer surface of the supporter main body in a helical shape while pulling in an opposite direction to the direction of inward turning of the knee joint. Further, a protrusion which makes contact with the medial side of a tibia below a knee when the supporter is worn is provided on an inner surface of the supporter main body section or on an inner surface of the strap.